MESA, Ariz. _ As soon as Kris Bryant realized via text messages Wednesday night that Anthony Rizzo was flying to Florida to support his grieving home community, the Cubs' third baseman immediately knew to give his teammate some space.
That's because Bryant understands the emotional stress Rizzo is experiencing after enduring similar trauma in his own home community of Las Vegas 4{ months ago.
"When something like that happens, it's so gut-wrenching and you don't really know what to think," Bryant said Thursday. "You're just there and especially when you hear stories of people you knew and how they got away and stuff like that, it makes it that much more real and sad. It's just so hard to even think about it, honestly."
Bryant's comment came one day after 17 people were killed in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where Rizzo donated $150,000 for lights at the baseball field at his alma mater.
Manager Joe Maddon said Rizzo, 28, who performed fielding drills Wednesday during an individual workout, will be given as much time as needed to help his family and a community where he resides in the offseason and conducts an annual charity walk to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and their families. The Cubs' first full-squad workout is Monday.
"I just want to see good people," Bryant said. "That's something I strive to do every day, be a good person. And it's not that hard to do. I just see too much of that in the world. There are a lot of bad people out there. And I don't know how to change it, but there's a way. And it's the actions of each human being in this country."
Bryant said his sister-in-law and several friends were among several thousand fans who attended the concert in Las Vegas Oct. 1 when 58 people were killed and more than 800 injured in a mass shooting.
Bryant and Nationals slugger Bryce Harper participated in a public service announcement video shortly after the Las Vegas shooting in support of their fellow residents.
"I guess really the only thing I can offer (Rizzo) is the support system to hear him out," Bryant said. "I'm here to help in any way I can. But for me, it just touches my heart when I see the Vegas community come together. That's what we're going to see here. It's new to a lot of people out there. It's tough to speak on it. I'm there for him, and we all are. The whole organization is here for him, too."
But after hearing stories of Vegas concert-goers jumping in automobiles and trying to get into hotel rooms just to elude gunfire made Bryant cringe at the thought of the latest shooting at a high school.
"You're supposed to feel safe there," Bryant said. "But this is just a crazy world we're living in nowadays."
South Florida native Albert Almora Jr., 23, also was shaken by the shooting, as he recalled playing at Douglas a few times while attending Mater Academy Charter School in Miami.
"Now having a son and putting yourself in parents' situations right now, it's miserable, miserable," said Almora, whose parents first informed him of the shooting. "There has to be something done. I don't know what it is, It's not my place to say. I have no idea what they have to do, but something has to be done."
Said Maddon: "I don't have the answers, but we have to come together as a group to somehow formulate some opinions or methods or plan to put this to an end. It's a horrible thing for any of us to have to experience."
Bryant, 26, believes Rizzo will have a big influence on helping his community heal in the same way Bryant witnessed his community become 'Vegas Strong."
"But it's so sad for it to be so new and for it to happen (Wednesday). I can't imagine what some of those people are going through," Bryant said.
